Staying in a hotel is one great way to escape from the stresses brought about by work. Sad to say, it is often expensive. Fortunately, with a bit of effort and some proven and tested hacks, you can score a budget-friendly hotel trip.
Here are some hacks to get you started.
1. Research carefully.
To get an overview or a list of all possible hotels in your destination, look up to websites like Expedia or Kayak. However, don’t expect to see lots of photos. If you want to have a better view of the hotel, you have to check them out individually. Once you have a list, check the amenities they feature like free breakfast, WiFi, and parking spaces. If you find a hotel interesting, look for promotions and discount codes.
2. Ask your preferred hotel if they do price match.
Once you get an idea of the rates, pick up the phone and contact them. Tell them that you found a website offering a lesser rate and ask if they can match it. While it doesn’t always work, it sure does yield a better room rate. Trust us!
3. Take advantage of last-minute deals.
Believe it or not, many apps today offer travelers lots of last-minute deals, wherein they get to score a quality room at a very affordable rate. Usually, these deals are marked "ending tonight" or similar. But take note that these last-minute bookings are rare finds. So don't expect you can count on them all the time.
4. Use your credit card points to get a good hotel room.
Some credit cards give consumers bonus points for spending a certain amount within a specific period or just for signing up. Now, here's what is interesting. While not applicable to all, these points can be used to pay for hotel rooms. By doing that, you are saving yourself and your pocket from letting go of your hard-earned cash.
5. Get paid to write reviews for hotels.
You need not to be an established blogger or writer to write reviews. As long as you have signed up to write accommodation testimonials and reviews, then you can surely earn.
It works like this. Whenever somebody books a hotel after reading your review, you could earn as much as 70% profit, depending on your agreement. After all, it's still a win-win situation for you and the hotel.
6. Know what you are paying for.
When you make a booking, always make it a habit to ask about the charges for parking or for using the WiFi. Of course, you don’t want to pay for any unnecessary bills you never knew about! To avoid these costs, you will need to use your common sense. If you think you need to be online during the duration of your stay, find a hotel room that already offers free Internet access. If you want to relax, book a hotel that has swimming pools.
Most importantly, do not be shy to ask about taxes and service charges. Normally, these fees can increase your overall cost by up to 20%.
7. Apply for "frequent guest" programs.
Hotels, nowadays, offer their guests the chances to enjoy discounted rates through "frequent guest" programs. In this program, a guest can accumulate credits or points to earn free nights at the hotel or additional airline miles. Just ask your preferred hotel about this. Their staff can assist you in the process.
As you can see, it is easy to ruin your vacation on expensive accommodations. But by considering these hacks, you can definitely spend your money on something worth it.
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